FCAT writing scores released: The news is mixed

Published: Friday, May 23, 2014 at 05:10 PM.

Writing proficiency has improved significantly among Okaloosa County’s middle school and high school students, according to results from the 2014 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

“We stress all year to our principals that we do not expect perfection, but we do expect progress,” said Marcus Chambers, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Okaloosa County Schools. “Our teachers worked extremely hard this year and in a majority of areas, we saw growth.”

The state Department of Education on Friday released writing scores for the fourth, eighth and 10th grades as well as reading and math scores for the third grade.

Okaloosa County fourth-graders struggled with the standardized writing test. The percentage of students who passed dropped by 8 percentage points, falling to 45 percent this year from 53 percent in 2013. That 45-percent passing rate also falls below the statewide passing average of 53 percent.

“The elementary results show there’s still much work to be accomplished,” Chambers said. “ ... With the caliber of teachers and principals we have in this county, there’s no doubt we will improve.”

In the third-grade, the district made the most progress in math, with the percentage of students passing increasing by 3 percentage points, to 64 percent from 61 percent in 2013.

Third-grade reading scores remained flat, but Okaloosa increased its standing to 10th statewide from 17th in 2013.

In Walton County, only the eighth-graders improved on the writing exam, increasing one percentage point to 58 percent passing.

Fourth-grade writing proficiency held steady with 50 percent passing but remained under the statewide average of 53 percent. Tenth-grade writing proficiency dropped by 5 percentage points to 57 percent passing from 62 percent in 2013.

“Overall, that indicates the need for us to emphasize writing at all grade levels,” said Kay Dailey, supervisor of curriculum and instruction for Walton County Schools.

“It’s been sort of a strange year with the transition to new standards,” said Bill Emerson, assistant superintendent of schools for Santa Rosa County. “It’s hard, in my opinion, to focus on everything. ... I’m pleased with the results. Our folks worked hard.”

Writing proficiency has improved significantly among Okaloosa County’s middle school and high school students, according to results from the 2014 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

“We stress all year to our principals that we do not expect perfection, but we do expect progress,” said Marcus Chambers, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Okaloosa County Schools. “Our teachers worked extremely hard this year and in a majority of areas, we saw growth.”

The state Department of Education on Friday released writing scores for the fourth, eighth and 10th grades as well as reading and math scores for the third grade.

Okaloosa County fourth-graders struggled with the standardized writing test. The percentage of students who passed dropped by 8 percentage points, falling to 45 percent this year from 53 percent in 2013. That 45-percent passing rate also falls below the statewide passing average of 53 percent.

“The elementary results show there’s still much work to be accomplished,” Chambers said. “ ... With the caliber of teachers and principals we have in this county, there’s no doubt we will improve.”

In the third-grade, the district made the most progress in math, with the percentage of students passing increasing by 3 percentage points, to 64 percent from 61 percent in 2013.

Third-grade reading scores remained flat, but Okaloosa increased its standing to 10th statewide from 17th in 2013.

In Walton County, only the eighth-graders improved on the writing exam, increasing one percentage point to 58 percent passing.

Fourth-grade writing proficiency held steady with 50 percent passing but remained under the statewide average of 53 percent. Tenth-grade writing proficiency dropped by 5 percentage points to 57 percent passing from 62 percent in 2013.

“Overall, that indicates the need for us to emphasize writing at all grade levels,” said Kay Dailey, supervisor of curriculum and instruction for Walton County Schools.

“It’s been sort of a strange year with the transition to new standards,” said Bill Emerson, assistant superintendent of schools for Santa Rosa County. “It’s hard, in my opinion, to focus on everything. ... I’m pleased with the results. Our folks worked hard.”